Confinement below, with a short allowance, was our punishment
for this gratification.
"From some information we had obtained we were in daily expectation of
a visit from the British recruiting officers, and from the summary
method of their procedure, no one felt safe from the danger of being
forced into their service. Many of the prisoners thought it would be
better to enlist voluntarily, as it was probable that afterwards they
would be permitted to remain on Long Island, preparatory to their
departure to the West Indies, and during that time some opportunity
would be offered for their escape to the Jersey shore. * * * Soon
after we had formed this desperate resolve a recruiting officer came
on board to enlist men for the 88th Regiment to be stationed at
Kingston, in the island of Jamaica. * * * The recruiting officer
presented his papers for our signature. We hesitated, we stared at
each other, and felt we were about to do a deed of which we were
ashamed, and which we might regret. Again we heard the tempting
offers, and again the assurance that we should not be called upon to
fight against our government or country, and with the hope that we
should find an opportunity to desert, of which it was our firm
intention to avail ourselves when offered,--with such hopes,
expectations, and motives, we signed the papers, and became soldiers
in his Majesty's service,
"How often did we afterwards lament that we had ever lived to see this
hour? How often did we regret that we were not in our wretched prison
ship again, or buried in the sand at the Wallabout!"
There were twelve of the prisoners who left the Jersey with Ebenezer
Fox.
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